Abstract: A mixture of particles of plastic materials having different work functions is fed through a rotating tube. The tube rotates about an axis which is inclined slightly to the horizontal. The tube is of plastic or metallic material, preferably having a rib for stirring the mixture. As the particles pass progressively down the length of the tube, the triboelectrically induced charge progressively increases, whereby the particles are highly charged upon emerging from the tube. The tube may be made of the same material as a minority component of the mixture to bring up the level of the charge on the majority component.

Abstract: A harvester of the riding type for tobacco or other leaf crop plants grown in parallel rows. The harvester comprises a vehicle of suitable height and width to span several plant rows. Primers' stations are suspended from the vehicle at a height from the ground suitable for the harvesting of the crop plants. One station is provided for each row. The vehicle has a platform positioned above plant height for an operator who manually transfers harvested leaves to a container located on the platform from conveyors provided at each of the stations for raising the leaves to the platform. The conveyors are positioned to partially surround the container at evenly spaced locations in order to minimize the total distance moved by the operator between the conveyors and the container. The vehicle has a lifting device used to interchange the container, when full, with an empty container and to unload the containers at the end of a row of plants.

Abstract: A manipulator for a workpiece, useful in conjuction with a robot, is especially designed for handling forging preforms in a hot furnace. A fluidic type sensor is used to position the structure above a furnace surface on which the preform rests. Air continuously flows through the sensor to cool the sensor and parts of the manipulator, discharging toward the furnace floor near the workpiece. Thus, even though the absolute position and texture of the furnace surface may vary, the manipulator will always grip the workpiece at the same location relative to the surface.

Abstract: A multiple station conveyor for production lines and the like including an elongate drive element movable under power along a longitudinal path, a track extending along the path of the drive element, a carrier movable along the track and having an extension for driven engagement with the drive element to move the carrier, and declutching means for disengaging the carrier extension from the drive element.

Abstract: A transfer conveyor for transferring goods from one conveyor to another comprises two pairs of similar conveyor chains each chain being guided around a closed path, including a top run extending from one conveyor to the other, by guide means including reversing pulleys at the opposite ends of the top run. The top runs of all of the chains are preferably of the same length, parallel and substantially co-planar with the other top runs, lying just below the conveying planes of the two conveyors between which transfer is to be made. The chains are driven in synchronism and a set of lifting elements includes a pair of lifting elements secured to each chain so that during circulation of the chains, all of the lifting elements of the set rise above or fall below the conveying plane at the same time by passing around the respective reversing pulleys at the same time, to lift an article on one conveyor, transfer it laterally to above the other conveyor and lower it on to the same.